More recent findings
and thoughts about this issue can be foundhere and
here.

There
are three main Attraction factors of MMORPGs that encourage
time investment and personal attachment. One of these is the
elaborate rewards cycle inherent in MMORPGs that works like
a carrot on a stick. Rewards are given very quickly in the beginning
of the game. You kill a creature with 2-3 hits. You gain a level
in 5-10 minutes. And you can gain crafting skill with very little
failure. But the intervals between these rewards grow exponentially
fairly quickly. Very soon, it takes 5 hours and then 20 hours
of game time before you can gain a level. The game works by
giving you instantaneous gratification upfront and leading you
down a slippery slope. And it overlays different reward cycles
so you're always close to some reward - whether this be a level,
a crafting skill, or a quest.

The game is set up to make you want the next
best thing. "Oh look what that guy has! How do I get
that?" The answer is always to spend more time online
either getting higher level to go camp the item, or to just
go camp the item (or slight variation, camp the quest items
that result in the new item). But you are rewarded for playing
more. Better items, more freedom on where you can go. [m,
21]

The other main Attraction factor is the network
of relationships that a player accumulates over time. There
are several reasons why relationships of a platonic or romantic
nature occur so frequently in MMORPGs. The anonymity and computer-mediated
chat environment facilitates self-disclosure, and many players
have told personal issues or secrets to online friends that
they have never told their real life friends or family. The
high-stress situations inherent in the game also help build
trust and bonds between players very rapidly. Of course, another
important reason is that the games were designed so that you
have to group to achieve most goals. You can find a more elaborate
analysis of the formation of online relationships in the Online
Relationships presentation.

A network of online friends encourages players
to invest more time to the game for several reasons. First
of all, a player now plays to catch up or remain around the
same level as their friends. The pace is set by the player
that levels the most, and oftentimes causes a chain reaction
of others trying to catch up. Secondly, a playing schedule,
whether tacit or explicit, may be created and there is an
expectation that each player will show up to join the group.
And finally, the more friends you have, the more obligations
you have to fulfill. If you play a cleric, you may be asked
for rezzes. If you play a druid, you may be asked for teleports.
And many of these requests take a substantial amount of time,
but this is all part of the normal expectations of what friends
do for each other. Being in a guild is one way in which these
obligations become structured and recurring. Thus, having
a network of friends encourages both a higher level of personal
attachment and time investment.

The third, and final, Attraction factor is
the immersive nature of these virtual environments. This factor
works by encouraging players to become attached to their characters
and the virtually valuable items that they own. The immersive
nature also encourages players to become personally invested
to what happens to their characters, and to be empathetic
towards their characters. In the same way that a movie or
fairy-tale enchants you, the immersive quality of MMORPGs
tries to enchant you with a fantasy, and make you feel that
you are part of something grand and extraordinary.

Clearly, these three Attraction factors
are not equally attractive to different players. Data collected
for the Facets
study showed that individuals who are competitive, aggressive
and rational are more likely to be interested in the achievement
and rewards cycle of the game. Female gamers are more likely
to be interested in the relationship aspect of these games.
And gamers who are imaginative and open-minded are more likely
to be interested in the immersive quality of MMORPGs.